Thanks for the early reports concerning the FAFSA. Anyone else having trouble with the data retrieval tool? Any other bugs going on?
I haven’t started on it yet, so I’m thankful for everyone’s reports.
@MACmiracle I think you can try to set up a new one and it might say that this person already has a FSA ID, then try to reset password.
Do you remember your security questions/answers? There are like 4 or 5 of them. If you wrote them down then maybe that would give you a clue if it’s your ID.
You could also let your D start the FAFSA with her FSA ID and then when it asks for parent FSA ID just use the one you are unsure of and it should say if it doesn’t match the person’s information.
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid?sf64269872
@MACmiracle go to the part “how can I tell if I already have a FSA ID” and try to follow the instructions.
@LMHS73 There are a lot of reports on Facebook that the DRT is wonky. Some people are just fine, while some people (like me) get kicked out for parents’ info but the child gets transferred just fine). Frustrating.
I wonder why it only affects the parent DRT.
I do have our tax return, but I would like to use the DRT.
Some people have been just fine. Tomorrow’s another day, I guess.
^ I feel so stupid asking, but what is the DRT?
@mommdc Thanks for the link to the blog. I really appreciate it 
https://fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1718/help/faadef23.htm
When you do the FAFSA, don’t forget to list in question 94a any pretax 401k contributions you made in 2016.
The DRT is the IRS data retrieval tool in the FAFSA that is supposed to allow the info from your tax return to be automatically transferred into the appropriate fields of the FAFSA.
Apparently it has caused problems to a lot of folks today.
@bearcatfan, the FAFSA counts as submitted today. You can go back in after it processes and do a ‘correction’ and try the DRT again then.
Thanks @trish02! S actually doesn’t have a license. He hasn’t wanted one: he walks or bikes everywhere. He does have a Georgia ID though.
S18 and I did the FAFSA today AND the CSS Profile. I’ve heard horror stories about the Profile, but it actually wasn’t that bad. Helps that we answered 0 to a lot of questions. When we submitted Profile, it said the college will want W2s and taxes from parents and student, and that we’d hear something back in January. I told S18, now that he’s 18, to email everyone tomorrow, say he filed FAFSA and Profile, and ask what else he needs to do.
We filled out a lot in special circumstances section. I’m glad that section is in there!
The DRT worked for us, but we still had to manually submit a lot from the 2016 taxes. I had the multiple screen thing going on the computer today!
Between FAFSA, we’ve got 2 scout meetings going on today. Busy day!
@mommdc Will that confuse the financial aid offices? Is it better to wait and try tomorrow? There is no earthly reason I have to do it today except I have all my papers sitting in front of me, lol.
@bearcatfan If you haven’t actually signed and submitted it yet, then you can wait to try it again.
Unless you wanted to submit it today on Oct 1.
It should not confuse them. You would need to wait until the first FAFSA processes and then do a correction to use the DRT.
Back when the FAFSA was available in Jan and it used prior year income, often people didn’t have their taxes done yet. So they needed to submit with estimates and then go back in later to do DRT.
But if you can wait, then you can just wait and try it later.
My D has a school like that too. It’s a backup. She’d be happy to go there, but really doesn’t expect to. The main application is fairly simple, but there are at least 3 extras that should would absolutely do if it were a top choice (scholarships, honor, etc.). But it’s so much extra stuff. If she did end up going there, she would wish she had done all that. It’s a dilemma.
I’ve no idea on # of schools. So far 3, all submitted with two acceptances.
DD avoids apps with essays. She thinks essays are “stupid” and won’t do extra unless she really wants too, therefore she avoided schools where essays are required.
We are going to UAH in a month, that’s going to either cement the deal or spur a flurry of apps.
Probably applying to about 10.
1 turned in.
No idea on the supplemental essays
I’ve always done both sides (student/parent) of the FAFSA. I do their taxes so its just easier.
I read that trying to file on Oct 1 is problematic, a few days / weeks really won’t make a difference. My taxes were filed on Thursday of last week, i’ll wait until electronically accepted. Last year I did our FASFA at the end of October. The years DS was in school it was always a few months after the app opened.
Finished the FAFSA - I finally gave up on the DRT and filled things in manually. I ordered a tax transcript just in case I need it. I’m thinking I might order one before next year’s FAFSA.
And I got the EFC … wow, that will be interesting. Much less than I thought, and saved for. I know that’s not what I will pay (I wish!!) but it makes me feel really poor, lol.
So, FAFSA…
DH worked for a company that closed down and totally disappeared in 2016. We never got a W-2 despite several attempts to contact them. We filed an extension because of the W-2 issue, and I just filed our taxes last week.I had to use paper because a missing w-@ means you can’t file electronically. I’m sure the IRS doesn’t even have them yet, much less have them entered and uploaded to whatever system links to DRT.
We used paystubs to recreate D’s pay and withholding. My understanding is that now the IRS has to go after the defunct employer to see if the numbers match. I have been told that this can take - ahem - “awhile.”
So what are we supposed to do about DRT? I have our printed copy, so I can enter numbers from that. Do I fill out the FAFSA with those numbers and then make changes when the IRS finally gets everything settled?